


Rota

by Jacie



Series: NCIS: Alpha Series [18]
Category: NCIS
Genre: M/M, Team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-21
Updated: 2013-04-21
Packaged: 2017-12-09 06:31:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/771116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacie/pseuds/Jacie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Director Shepard offers Tony his own team.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rota

They’d only been back for a few days when Director Shepard called Gibbs into her office. “So, how is Tony doing?”

“He’s doing fine, Director. The Doc cleared him for duty and he hit the ground running, just like I knew he would.”

“Do you think he’s ready to run his own team?”

“What?”

“Really, Jethro. I know it’s your eyes that are failing, not your hearing. Do you think Special Agent DiNozzo is ready to lead his own team?”

“I think he has the skills and ability, but I don’t think he’d want to leave my team.”

“Because of you?”

“Because of the team. We work well together and we’re very successful.”

“All the same, if you think he could handle his own team, he should be offered his own team. You wouldn’t want to hold him back if that’s what he truly wants, would you?”

“No, of course not. As long as you’re not offering it just to split us up.”

“I think he’s earned it, don’t you? I think his work has been exemplary since I’ve taken over this chair. He’s a damned good agent. He deserves the shot of running a team of his own if that’s where his interests lie.”

“Then make him an offer,” said Gibbs as he rose from the chair and headed to the door.

“Fine, then. I will. Please, send him up.”

Gibbs delivered the Director’s message then watched as Tony bounded up the steps, taking two at a time. After a few minutes, Gibbs headed for the elevator. “Going for coffee,” he shouted back toward Ziva and McGee.

Up in the Director’s office, Tony sat in the chair stunned. “Wow. My own team? I don’t know what to say.”

“I think you’ve earned it,” confirmed the Director. “Here is your assignment, if you choose to accept it.”

Reaching forward, Tony took the file from her and flipped it open. “Rota, Spain?”

“It’s a choice assignment, Special Agent DiNozzo. If you turn this down, there’s no telling if another chance like this will ever come your way again.”

“I just. I’m not sure. Can I take some time to think it over? It’s a huge decision.”

“I understand. I’ll give you seventy-two hours. If you don’t want the assignment, I’ll be offering it to another agent. I need somebody out there ASAP.”

“I understand, Director. And thank you. I appreciate the offer very much. I’m just not sure if I can leave my life here behind.”

The Director nodded at him and repeated, “Seventy-two hours. You can go home early if you want. You have a lot to think about.”

Tony left before Gibbs returned from his coffee run. When Gibbs sat down at his desk, he looked across the room to Tony’s desk, sitting empty once again. It didn’t look right. It didn’t feel right. First he was out with the plague then he was kidnapped. Now he could be reassigned to run his own team.

Gibbs blew across his coffee and thought about DiNozzo running his own team. Maybe they could still work together, solving cases together. He still didn’t like it. He liked his team. His team of four. He didn’t want anyone else. He didn’t need anyone else.

Later that night, he finally headed home well after darkness took over the sky. It didn’t surprise him to pull up to his house and see Tony’s car outside. They needed to talk.

“Hey, Boss,” Tony said as Gibbs entered the house. “I wasn’t sure when you’d be coming home, so I picked up a couple pizzas. Good stuff.”

Without a word, Gibbs went into the kitchen and grabbed himself a beer before joining Tony on the couch. “So, are you going to take it?”

“Do you want me to take it?”

Gibbs took a long swig from his beer bottle. “You deserve it, Tony. You’ve earned it.”

“Wow, I didn’t think it would be that easy for you to let me go.”

After taking a bite, Gibbs set down his slice of pizza, and picked up Tony’s hand, holding it and giving it a squeeze. “Of course I don’t want you off my team. But I don’t want to hold you back either. If you turn this down, you never know when she will consider you for another assignment.”

“Or such a good assignment. I know a lot of agents would love to have this opportunity. I’d love to have this opportunity. I just, I don’t want to leave you. Or the team.”

“You have to consider your career. Do you really want to hang out with me playing second fiddle for the rest of your days at NCIS? How are you going to feel if you turn this down and McGee gets offered a team before you?”

“I’d feel like crap. Your team, our team, it’s good. I enjoy going to work. I enjoy the people I work with. What if I get stuck with a team that just doesn’t jive with me and the way I do things?”

“You get them reassigned off your team and ask to choose your own people. Just don’t think you’re going to be stealing McGee or Ziva away from me,” teased Gibbs.

“Well, Ziva maybe. I don’t think the Elf Lord speaks enough Spanish.”

“Spanish?”

“Didn’t the Director tell you? She offered me the team in Rota, Spain.”

“Spain? What the hell, DiNozzo? I thought it was here in DC. Even if it was still in the states, I could catch a flight and come visit you, but Rota, Spain? Could she have found a post for you further away from me?”

“I imagine she could, but probably not as tempting as Rota.”

“What are you going to do?”

“She gave me seventy-two hours to decide. I wanted to talk to you first.”

“I don’t want to hold you back, Tony, but I also don’t want to lose you.”

“I’d like to have the opportunity to run my own team and Rota would be the dream assignment, but I don’t want to be so far away from you. That would be. It would be very difficult.”

“It has to be your decision. I don’t know if this is the right time to bring it up. Hell, I was going to say something to you. You spend so much time here anyway, if you want to dump your apartment and stay with me, I’d like to have you here. Full time. And if you do decide to go to Rota, you know you have a place to stay here whenever you’re in town.”

“Tough call, Boss.”

Gibbs patted Tony’s leg as he finished shoving the last bit of a slice into his mouth. “You’re call, Tony. This has to be your decision. I’m going to go work on the boat.”

Sitting alone on the couch, Tony watched as Gibbs walked away.

Back at the office the next day, nothing was said to Ziva or McGee. The team worked their current case load.

Tony waiting until the seventy-two hour deadline had come and gone before he walked upstairs and knocked on the Director’s door.

“Come in, Tony.”

“You knew it was me?”

“It’s late and your deadline has past. I know you had a lot to think about.”

“I did. And I truly appreciate the opportunity, but I have to turn it down.”

“I know.”

“You know?”

“If you were going to accept, I figured you would tell me before the deadline I gave you.”

“It doesn’t feel right, leaving Gibbs’ team. Maybe one day, but not now.”

“I understand.”

“Thank you, though.”

Tony found Gibbs in his basement that night. “I turned it down,” Tony said.

Gibbs had been holding his breath, but finally exhaled. “I was hoping you’d say that. Pisses me off she offered you Rota, Spain. If she wanted to offer you a team, surely she could have offered you one here in DC.”

“Or Florida,” Tony mused as he poured himself a shot of bourbon. After clinking his glass with Gibbs’, he said softly, “I guess you’re stuck with me now.”

 

~~~end~~~  
04/21/2013


End file.
